


The Dance

by tonysleatherjacket



Series: Zalex Prompts [3]
Category: 13 Reasons Why (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-24
Updated: 2018-05-24
Packaged: 2019-05-13 05:34:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14742911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tonysleatherjacket/pseuds/tonysleatherjacket
Summary: A short and sweet moment at the dance before Tyler shows up.





	The Dance

**Author's Note:**

> You can submit zalex one-shot prompts for me to write in the comments or on my tumblr @tonysleatherjacket

Fucking Jessica. Who spends twenty minutes in the bathroom? I wasn’t even that happy to be going to the dance tonight, I mostly just asked her because I figured that was the kind of thing normal boyfriends asked their girlfriends to. Not that we were normal. At all. In fact, I’m not even a hundred percent sure we’re actually dating. I mean, I guess we are. That’s what we said to each other when I asked her to the dance. But if you’re really dating someone, and never had quote on quote asked them out with labels and shit, is that really something you need to clarify? Shouldn’t you just…know?

 I throw my empty cup away, and scan the crowd for Zach. There’s an upbeat song playing, and he’s bobbing his head slightly to the beat, slouched down in the same seat he’s been in all night. He looks slightly out of place, body a little too big for the chair he’s sitting in. And he’s the only one still sitting. Most everyone else is on the dance floor, jumping around in a carefree way because no one really knows how to dance, but no one really cares either way.

“Yo, why aren’t you dancing?” I question Zach once I reach him. His warm brown eyes stare up at me in surprise. “Why aren’t you?”

I shrug, my thumb rubbing over the handle of my cane, something I do when I’m nervous. I don’t know why I’m nervous. It’s just Zach. “Jessica disappeared on me.”

“Well, that sucks.”

There’s an awkward pause of silence, and I scratch the back of my neck, glancing at Zach. He usually dresses so casually, in plain t-shirts and jeans. There’s something about the way he looks all dressed up. It’s unnerving.

“So, do you wanna, like, dance?”

Zach raises his eyebrows in question. “With me?”

I roll my eyes. “Well, it is a dance, and you are sitting here on your ass, alone, so yeah, with you.”

A slight blush creeps onto Zach’s face, and through the dim and neon lighting, I see his ears are tinged pink. “I don’t know, dude…”

“Come on, you were the one who helped teach me how to dance in the first place. You don’t want that to just be a waste, now do you?”

Zach shakes his head, a few strands of gelled hair falling against his forehead. He smiles in a way that makes my stomach flip. “I guess not.”

When he stands up, he seems to tower over me. My stomach flips again as I follow him out onto the dance floor. He chooses a spot near the DJ, where it’s not so crowded. As he turns to face me, the song slips from fast paced, to a slow song. All around us, couples inch close together. I swear Zach’s ears turn even redder.

“Uh…” He stutters.

I bite my lip, trying to hold back a smile. “Is this not just like we practiced in my room?”

Zach wipes his hands on his pants. “Yeah, but that was for-“

“Zach, just put your fucking hands on my waist.”

When he touches my shoulder, I swear it’s like a spark of electricity zapping through me. His hand trails down to my waist, gripping me tightly. I let go of my cane, and grip his waist with my good hand. His eyes stare at me closely and I feel out of breathe for reasons that have nothing to do with not holding onto my cane.

We start to sway, taking very small, wobbly steps. Instead of looking down at our feet, Zach stares at me the whole time. I find it impossible to look away.

“So, what happened to Jessica?” Zach questions me.

“No idea.” _And I don’t even care,_ I think.

We continue shuffling awkwardly until the song ends. Zach stops moving, but he doesn’t remove his hand from my waist. His touch feels like it’s burning straight through me.

“You’ve certainly got some moves, Standall.”

I can’t help but grin up at him. “Fuck, yeah. I’m like the best dancer here.”

“Oh, I know you are.” Zach teases, leaning closer to me, the movement so slight I barely notice it. My heart pounds, blood rushing to my ears. _Fuck._ I don’t like Zach, do I?

But as a new slow song starts up, and Zach starts guiding us into our own little circle again, the answer is as clear as day. _I do._


End file.
